EP2356401B2 - Optical sensor element for a measuring device and coupling element for this containing measuring device unit - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to an optical sensor element for a measuring machine, in particular for a coordinate measuring machine, according to the preamble of claim 1 and a measuring machine-side coupling element according to the preamble of claim 9.

Coordinate measuring machines or machines in various embodiments have been known for a long time. For example, these devices are used for high accuracy surveying of object surfaces, especially in the manufacturing industry, for which the measurement and inspection of workpiece surfaces has great importance.

Typical generic systems are coordinate measuring machines of the portal type, as for example in the DE 43 25 337 or 3D coordinate measuring articulated arms, for example, from the US 5,402,582 or EP 1 474 650 are known.

Such coordinate measuring machines have a base, which is known and fixedly positioned in a reference coordinate system, as one end of the measuring system or of the articulated arm and an opposite movable measuring end, on which a feeler element is arranged. As a standard probe, a tactile sample can be used, which can be brought into contact with a measuring point of an object surface and consists for example of a ruby ball, which is mounted on a dipstick. With such coordinate measuring machines, optical sensor elements are beginning to gain in importance.

Nowadays, the measurement world is strongly dominated by tactile feeler elements, which exist in various embodiments, for example, to axially or laterally touch the measurement object. The feeler elements are designed in different lengths and diameters to reach hard to reach places.

For coupling the tactile sensing elements with coordinate measuring machines, mechanical and mechanical-electrical couplings have been developed, as for example from the US 7,282,017 B2 emerge, which allow a very reproducible mechanical coupling over ball-cylinder contacts and spring-loaded pin contacts also allow electrical transmission of measurement signals. These interfaces are designed in such a way that the feeler elements can fit in a tool changer and can be picked up independently by the coordinate measuring machine.

EP 0 362 625 shows a coordinate measuring machine with an optical probe head with interchangeable front optics on the measuring arm, each front optics has its own lens and an adapted illumination optics. The illumination optics are supplied by light guides, which are equipped with a device for low-loss coupling of the light guide ends for the illumination via the changing surface. This device consists for example of self-centering sleeves, of which the flexible supply light guide are placed centrally on the end faces of semi-rigid plastic fiber optics to avoid gusset losses. The light guides serve only for illumination, not for the transmission of measurement signals.

In US 5,118,956 an optical, tactile sensor element is shown, which determines based on changes in the parameters of an optical radiation, a touch of the probe with a workpiece.

However, the new optical measuring methods for coordinate measuring machines entail that an optical fiber also has to be guided from a sensor element to a control unit of the coordinate measuring machine, which is used as an optical conductor and for optical signal transmission for the measuring radiation. In the absence of powerful optical couplings, which allow frequent sensor element changes, so far only coordinate measuring machines have been realized on which a sensor element is permanently attached.

Suitable optical fibers are widely used in telecommunications for signal transmission. For coupling these optical fibers, there are a variety of plug-in couplings, which are adapted to the respective applications and make it possible to transmit even high-energy optical radiation via the optical fibers and the plug-in couplings with low losses.

For example, shows US 7,427,165 a combined electrical-optical connector. By means of a kind of bayonet closure is both a peripheral electrical connection and an optical connection by means of a centric optical fiber and a floating counterpart produced.

However, the plug-in couplings have a decisive disadvantage: they have been created for static connections. Due to the high sensitivity of the optical interface against contamination and damage, they can not be plugged frequently. The predicted lifetime of the known couplings is 500 to 1000 mating cycles. In practice, they are only opened for service purposes. In addition, to ensure optimum transfer, it is necessary to clean the surfaces of the optical fibers at the optical interface under a microscope prior to reassembly.

In order to be able to measure complex measuring objects, such as motor blocks, with a coordinate measuring machine, a relatively frequent change of the sensor element is required. Roughly estimated, sensor element replacement is required about once per hour. Since the coordinate measuring machines are often operated around the clock, easily 100 mating cycles per week are achieved, so that already known from telecommunications optical plug-in connectors after about 3 months would reach the end of their expected life.

So that optical sensor elements can be usefully used in coordinate measuring machines, the optical couplings must meet at least the same requirements in terms of robustness and precision as the mechanical or mechanical-electrical coupling elements.

Based on this prior art, the present invention seeks to provide an optical sensor element and a measuring machine, in which the mechanical coupling is supplemented by an optical part, the optical interface must be able to withstand at least 50,000 plugs unscathed, can be easily cleaned and even with low levels of contamination a reliable continuation of the measurements allowed.

The first part of the object is achieved by an optical sensor element for a measuring machine having the features of claim 1 or a measuring machine-side coupling element having the features of claim 9. Advantageous embodiments of the optical sensor element are evident from the dependent claims.

The optical sensor element has a sensor element-side coupling element for mechanical and optical connection with the measuring machine or its machine-side coupling element. According to the invention, the optical sensor element further comprises an optical fiber in the sensor element-side coupling element and an optical interface, which is guided by a floating bearing.

Advantageously, the sensor element-side coupling element associated optical contact element is formed with a bevel and has a relation to the optical fiber core enlarged beam cross-section.

This solution has the advantage that the optical sensor element is particularly robust and, as has been shown in experiments, survives over 115,000 connections, which also in Fig. 1 his presentation finds.

Optical sensor elements are used for coordinate measuring machines to scan surfaces of workpieces or other objects without contact and with high precision and to measure or to check dimensional accuracy.

In the case of the coupling according to the invention, a single-mode fiber which has a core diameter of less than 10 μm and is extremely susceptible to irreversible soiling and damage in the core region is used in particular as the optical fiber for measuring signal transmission. Such soiling or damage very quickly increases the transmission loss and the backscatter, which is extremely disadvantageous, especially in the case of highly sensitive interferometric applications. This is where the invention begins and proposes to attach an optical contact element to the optical fiber, preferably to weld it, which widens the beam cross section at the optical interface by a multiple relative to the optical fiber. The beam path at the optical interface should be collimated. Due to the widened beam cross-section, a bi-directional optical signal transmission is ensured even if areas of the optical interface have become impermeable to dirt due to contamination or damage to the optical radiation. Furthermore, the insertion loss and the backscatter are substantially reduced by the oblique cut on an end face of the contact element. The obliquely ground surface does not need to be coated and is easy to clean.

Conveniently, the beam cross-section compared to the optical fiber core is increased by at least a factor of 5. Preferably, the beam cross-sectional area is increased by at least a factor of 10, 20 or 50. The enlarged steel cross-section reduces the susceptibility of the sensor element to dirt and damage and in the event that the contact elements do not contact each other over their entire surface.

It is advantageous if the optical contact element is a lens, preferably a gradient index lens. Gradient index lenses have the great advantage that they can be cylindrical and thus also be provided as an extension of the optical fiber. Depending on its length and the monomode fiber used, the gradient index lens allows a widening of the beam cross section by a factor of about ten - accompanied by a divergence decrease to one tenth. However, multimode fibers can also be used according to the invention, whereby the requirement of beam expansion in the transition region can be omitted here.

The optical fiber should be conveniently surrounded by a ferrule or ferrule. The ferrule protects the end of the optical fiber and fixes its position. In addition, the ferrule can be arranged better than the optical fiber in the coupling element.

The ferrule should be flush with the optical contact element in order to ensure proper contact of the obliquely ground end face of the optical contact element.

So that the optical sensor element can be more easily inserted into the measuring machine-side coupling element, ferrule is arranged floating in the coupling element. In this way, a lateral offset of the ferrule of a few 100 microns can be corrected during insertion.

Conveniently, the ferrule has on a peripheral side an orientation surface for holding the ferrule in an associated orientation. This ensures that the obliquely ground end surfaces abut each other over the entire area when the optical sensor element is coupled to the measuring machine.

The ferrules can be acted upon by a spring, preferably in the axial direction of the optical fiber, for generating a contact pressure at the optical interface.

At a free end of the ferrule a chamfer is conveniently provided to facilitate the insertion of the ferrule by the conical configuration.

The measuring machine, in particular a coordinate measuring machine, has a measuring machine-side coupling element, which can be coupled to a sensor element according to one of claims 1 to 8.

In the measuring machine-side coupling element and the sensor element-side coupling element optical fibers are provided, the ends are taken in ferrules. In this case, the measuring element-side coupling element has an optical contact element. Preferably, the oblique sections of the optical contact elements are formed and arranged so that they touch the entire surface in the coupled state and form a continuous optical passage area. In this way, the optical radiation can be transmitted with low loss and in both directions via the optical interface.

Furthermore, one of the ferrules may be surrounded by a guide bush which projects beyond the ferrule in the axial direction and at the free end of which a chamfer is preferably provided on the inner surface. Such a guide bush also facilitates the merging of the optical contact elements in the coupling process. The likewise floating support of the second ferrule in the guide bush in conjunction with the chamfers on the ferrules and the ferrule allows for self-centering in the plug-in process which greatly relaxes the mechanical tolerances in the alignment of the ferrules prior to the plug contact.

In order to be able to further reduce any lateral offset between the ferrules prior to the insertion process, it is additionally provided that the inner surface of the guide bushing has a roundness with a radial deviation significantly smaller than the core diameter of the fiber used. For normal monomode fibers with a core diameter of about 9 μm at a wavelength of 1.5 μm, the roundness should be less than or equal to 1 μm, which causes a precise centering of the optical contact elements held in the ferrules.

It when the guide bush and / or the ferrule is arranged interchangeable in the coupling element is particularly advantageous. This makes it possible to remove the optical fiber with ferrule from the coupling element and to clean the end face of the optical contact element. Preferably, to loosen and fix the guide bush or ferrule to use a special tool to complicate unauthorized manipulation of the coupling.

Furthermore, a cover for covering the end face of the optical contact element in the open state of the coupling may be provided at the end of the optical fiber. Although the intensity of the optical radiation used in coordinate measuring machines is low, injuries can still occur if the optical radiation strikes directly on sensitive body parts, such as the optic nerves. Another advantage of the cover is that the obliquely ground end face of the optical contact element is protected in the unplugged state from damage and contamination.

The ferrules and the guide bushing are preferably made of zirconium oxide. Zirconium oxide is a very abrasion-resistant material and ensures a constant precision of the connection over the lifetime of the sensor element. Furthermore, a cleaning device for cleaning the obliquely ground end faces of the optical contact elements can be provided on a coupling element. The cleaning device may be designed so that a cleaning element when inserting and unplugging over the obliquely ground face is wiped.

The obliquely ground end faces of the optical contact elements can have an angle of inclination α between 0 ° and 10 °, preferably between 2 ° and 8 °.

In order to further reduce possible reflections at the optical interface, the end face of one of the optical contact elements may be provided with a coating, in particular an antireflection coating. In this case, the end face may also be polished, i. do not have a bevel cut. The bevelled edge and a coating can also be dispensed with if the measuring method does not react sensitively to back reflexes.

Non-interferometric measuring methods such as e.g. the chromatic-confocal measurement requires multimode fibers. In this case, the diameter of the fiber core (e.g., 50 μm) is already significantly larger than monomode fibers. A beam expansion is not required here.

Figur 1

eine graphische Auswertung eines Lebensdauertests;

Figur 2

einen Ausschnitt aus einem optischen Sensorelement, wobei ein sensorelementseitiger Kupplungselement im Querschnitt dargestellt ist;

Figur 3

ein Querschnitt an der optischen Schnittstelle im eingekuppelten Zustand;

Figur 4

eine Draufsicht auf den sensorelementseitigen Kupplungselement;

Figur 5

eine perspektivische Ansicht des sensorelementseitigen Kupplungselements;

Figur 6

eine weitere perspektivische Ansicht des sensorelementseitigen Kupplungselements;

Figur 7

ein messmaschinenseitiges Kupplungselement im Querschnitt;

Figur 8

das messmaschinenseitige Kupplungselement in einer Ansicht von unten;

Figur 9

das messmaschinenseitige Kupplungselement in einer perspektivischen Ansicht; und

Figur 10

das messmaschinenseitige Kupplungselement in einer perspektivischen Ansicht von schräg oben.

The invention is explained in more detail with reference to exemplary embodiments illustrated in the figures. Show it:

FIG. 1

a graphical evaluation of a life test;

FIG. 2

a section of an optical sensor element, wherein a sensor element-side coupling element is shown in cross section;

FIG. 3

a cross section at the optical interface in the engaged state;

FIG. 4

a plan view of the sensor element-side coupling element;

FIG. 5

a perspective view of the sensor element-side coupling element;

FIG. 6

a further perspective view of the sensor element-side coupling element;

FIG. 7

a measuring machine side coupling element in cross section;

FIG. 8

the measuring machine-side coupling element in a view from below;

FIG. 9

the measuring machine-side coupling element in a perspective view; and

FIG. 10

the measuring machine-side coupling element in a perspective view obliquely from above.

In the FIG. 1 is shown a graphical evaluation of a life test. The relative intensity of the radiation transmitted via the optical coupling was measured as a function of the number of mating cycles, the relative intensity being the ratio of the intensities of the optical radiation before and before the optical coupling. Here, the faces of the optical contact elements were cleaned at irregular intervals, which is illustrated by vertical lines 1. Up to a number of over 95,000 mating cycles, the coupling transmitted the optical radiation with a relative intensity in the range of 0.8 to 1. Only around the 100,000 insertion cycle, there is a significant decrease in the relative radiation intensity. After a multiple intensive cleaning of the optical contact elements at 115,000 mating cycles but again an approximately lossless transmission with a relative radiation intensity of 1 could be achieved.

In the Figures 2 and 4 to 6 is an optical sensor element 2 for a measuring machine, in particular for a coordinate measuring machine, shown in sections by means of a sensor element-side coupling element 3. The sensor element-side coupling element 3 is provided for mechanical and optical connection and optical signal transmission with a measuring machine. In this embodiment, the sensor element-side coupling element 3 has an upper part 4 and a lower part 5. The upper part 4 is divided into a mechanical-electrical part 6 and an optical part 7. The mechanical-electrical part 6 is in principle from the US 7,282,017 B2 known. In the upper part 4, a sleeve 8 is mounted axially displaceable, which is movable by an eccentric 9. Locking pins 10 arrive in the engaged state in grooves 11 of an inserted into an axial bore 12 pin 13 locking to the plant (see also Fig. 7 ). In the radially outer region of the mechanical-electrical part 6, three pairs of balls 14 are arranged in modules 15, which are parts of a three-point bearing 16. At these balls 14 reach in the coupled state cylinder 17, which are provided in the measuring machine-side coupling element 18 to the plant.

Between the upper part 4 and the sleeve 8 spring-loaded electrical pin contacts 19 are provided for electrical measurement signal transmission.

In the image plane to the left of the mechanical-electrical part 6, the optical part 7 is arranged in the upper part 4. To the upper part 4 for this purpose a boom 21 is formed, in which the optical part 7 is received. Through the lower part 5, a measuring signal leading optical fiber 22 extends into the optical part 7 of the upper part 4 and is end in a ferrule 23 taken. The ferrule 23 projects into a cylindrical recess 24 in the upper part 4 and has a chamfer 26 at its free end 25. The ferrule 23 is acted upon in the axial direction of the optical fiber 22 by a spring 27. To compensate for a lateral offset the ferrule 23 and thus also the optical fiber 22 are floatingly mounted in the optical part 7.

An optical interface 30, to which the optical fiber 22 of the sensor element-side coupling element 3 is coupled to the optical fiber 31 of the measuring-machine-side coupling element 18, is in the coupled state (GZ) in FIG FIG. 3 shown schematically simplified. In this figure one can see two optical fibers 22, 31 which are coupled to each other via an optical sensor contact element 33 and an optical machine contact element 34. The optical fibers 22, 31 are single-mode fibers with a core cross section of less than 10 μm. At the ends 35, 36 of the optical fibers 22, 31 are optical contact elements 33, 34, in this case, for example gradient index fibers, welded. The optical interface 30 is located in the surface 40, in which the optical contact elements 33, 34 touch the entire surface.

The end faces 41, 42 of the optical contact elements 33, 34 are each provided with a bevelled edge 43, 44, which has an inclination angle α of 4 °. The oblique cuts 43,44 are formed so that they form a continuous optical passage surface 45. In order to enlarge the beam cross-section 46 at the optical interface 30 with respect to the optical fibers 22, 31, the optical contact elements 33, 34 have suitable lengths L of 1/4 pitch. Lengths of (2n-1) / 4 pitch, where n is a natural number, are also possible. Such executed optical contact elements 33, 34 cause a collimated widening of the optical radiation, so that the beam cross-section 46 relative to the optical fibers 22, 31 is increased at the optical interface 30 by a factor of 100.

The optical fibers 22, 31 and the optical contact elements 33, 34 are held in ferrules 23, 48. The ferrules 23, 48 close with the end faces 41, 42 of the contact elements 33, 34 in extension of the oblique cuts 43, 44 flush. The ferrules 23, 48 are provided at the ends with a chamfer 26, 50.

A ferrule 48 is surrounded by a guide bushing 51, which protrudes in the axial direction AR beyond the free end 52 of the ferrule 48. The guide bush 51 is provided on the inner surface 53 at the end with a chamfer 54. For centering the optical contact elements 33, 34, the inner surface 53 of the guide bush 51 has a roundness with a maximum radial deviation of 2 μm.

Returning to the Figures 2 and 4 to 6 is provided on the optical fiber 22 in the image plane below the spring 27, a sleeve 60 which is provided on a peripheral side 61 with an orientation surface 62 to ensure the correct alignment of the obliquely ground end surface 41 of the optical contact element 33. For this purpose, an orientation element 63 inserted into the upper part 4 bears against the orientation surface 62.

If the lower part 5 is unscrewed from the upper part 4 and the orientation element 63 is removed from the upper part 4 with a tool, then the optical fiber 22 and with it the ferrule 23, e.g. to replace defective parts or for cleaning purposes from the top 4 are pulled down. Thus, the ferrule 23 is interchangeable arranged in the upper part.

In the FIGS. 7 to 10 a measuring machine-side coupling element 18 is shown. The measuring machine-side coupling element 18 is arranged in a holder as part of the measuring machine head 70, which can be fastened in a measuring machine, not shown in detail, in particular on a movable arm of the measuring machine.

According to the sensor element-side coupling element 3, the measuring-machine-side coupling element 18 is also divided into a mechanical-electrical part 71 and optical part 72.

The mechanical-electrical part 71 is also in its structure in principle from the US 7,282,017 B2 known. In the measuring machine-side coupling element 18, an insert 73 is provided, which has a central axial bore 74, through which the pin 13 is inserted. The pin 13 is acted upon by a stack 76 disc springs 77 in the axial direction AR to provide a uniform contact pressure on the three-point bearing 16 and a tolerance compensation. The three-point bearing 16 comprises in the measuring machine-side coupling element 18, three cylinders 17, which are offset by β angle of 120 ° about the longitudinal axis LA of the measuring machine-side coupling element 18 to each other. The stack 76 disc springs 77 is held in position by a flange sleeve 79 and a hat-shaped member 80. The flange sleeve 79 and the hat-shaped part 80 are fixed on the pin 13 by a washer 81 and a nut 82. The measuring-machine-side coupling element 18 is fastened to the measuring machine head 70 by a screwed-on ring 83.

In the radial direction RR between the longitudinal axis LA of the coupling element 18 and the cylinders 17 of the three-point bearing 16 thirteen line elements 84 are arranged distributed on the circumference for the electrical transmission of measurement signals at which the pin contacts 19 of the sensor element-side coupling element 3 come into abutment in the inserted state ,

Laterally on the mechanical-electrical part 71 of the optical part 72 is provided. An optical fiber 31 is guided in the measuring machine-side coupling element 18 and the end in a ferrule 48 taken. The ferrule 48 has a collar 85 which bears against a disc 86. The guide bushing 51 is pushed onto a free end 87 of the ferrule 48 and is supported on the disk 86. The guide bush 51 has at its free end 88 on the inner surface 53 a chamfer 54. The ferrule 48 and the guide bush 51 are floatingly held in the optical part 72, which is clearly recognizable by the radial distance between a sleeve 92 and the guide bushing 51, which is surrounded by the sleeve 92. In order to secure the guide bush 51 against axial displacements, a fixing sleeve 93 is pushed onto the inner end 94 of the guide bushing 51 and fixed there. The sleeve 92, which surrounds the guide bushing 51 at a radial distance, is screwed into the insert 73. At its free end 95, the sleeve 92 on both the inside 96 and on the peripheral side 97 circumferential chamfers 98, 99.

By a special tool, the fixing sleeve 93 can be unscrewed from the measuring machine side coupling member 18. Thus, the guide bush 51 can be removed and can be cleaned or replaced if necessary. In this state, the ferrule 48 is also easily accessible for cleaning.

The ferrule 48 has on the side facing away from the guide bushing 51 an orientation surface 101 to align the obliquely ground end face 42 of the optical machine contact element 34 such that a full-surface contact of the end faces 41,42 of the optical contact elements 33, 34 is ensured, as well in FIG. 3 shown. In the orientation surface 101, a cover 102 engages. The cover 102 is secured against rotation by a dowel pin 103 inserted into the insert 73 in the radial direction ROF to the optical fiber 31.

In FIG. 9 It is shown how the cover 102 of the optical part 72 is fixed by two screws 104, 105 on the insert 73. The insert 73 is also fixed by two screws 106 in the measuring machine-side coupling element 18.

Both coupling elements 3,18 are designed so that conical surfaces cooperate in a predetermined sequence during the insertion process to compensate for a lateral offset and a high-precision Coupling of the coupling elements 3, 18 to ensure. When inserting the conical surface 110 come at the free end 112 of the pin 13 with the funnel-shaped extension 113 of the axial bore 12 in the displaceable sleeve 8 of the sensor element-side coupling element 3 in contact and a circumferential chamfer 114 on the measuring machine-side coupling element 18 on the sensor element-side coupling element 3 to the plant. To couple the optical parts 7, 72, the sleeve 92 is first inserted on the measuring machine-side coupling element 18 in the cylindrical recess 24 in the sensor element-side coupling element 3, before the ferrule 23 of the sensor element-side coupling element 3 is inserted into the floating guide bushing 51 of the measuring machine-side coupling element 18. In this way, the obliquely ground end faces 41, 42 of the optical contact elements 33, 34 come into contact with one another with a maximum lateral offset of 2 μm.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 -

stroke

2 -

sensor element

3 -

sensor element-side coupling element

4 -

Top of 3

5 -

Lower part of 3

6 -

mechanical-electrical part of 3

7 -

optical part of 3

8th -

shell

9 -

eccentric

10 -

locking pin

11 -

groove

12 -

axial bore

13 -

spigot

14 -

Bullet

15 -

module

16 -

Three-point mounting

17 -

cylinder

18 -

measuring machine-side coupling element

19 -

Pin contact

21 -

boom

22 -

optical fiber

23 -

ferrule

24 -

recess

25 -

End of 23

26 -

chamfer

27 -

feather

30 -

optical interface

31 -

optical fiber

33 -

contact element

34 -

contact element

35 -

End of 22

36 -

End of 31

40 -

area

41 -

Face of 33

42 -

Face of 34

43 -

Bevel grinding

44 -

Bevel grinding

45 -

Passage area

46 -

Beam cross section

48 -

ferrule

50 -

chamfer

51 -

guide bush

52 -

End of 48

53 -

Inner surface of 51

54 -

chamfer

60 -

shell

61 -

Peripheral side of 60

62 -

orientation flat

63 -

orientation element

70 -

Part of the measuring machine head

71 -

mechanical-electrical part

72 -

optical part

73 -

commitment

74 -

drilling

76 -

stack

77 -

Belleville spring

79 -

flanged

80 -

hat-shaped part

81 -

washer

82 -

mother

83 -

cover

84 -

line element

85 -

Federation

86 -

disc

87 -

End of 48

88 -

End of 51

92 -

shell

93 -

fixing sleeve

94 -

End of 51

95 -

End of 92

96 -

Inside of 92

97 -

Peripheral side of 92

98 -

chamfer

99 -

chamfer

100 -

Page of 48

101 -

orientation flat

102 -

cover

103 -

dowel

104 -

screw

105 -

screw

106 -

screw

110 -

Area of 13

112 -

End of 13

113 -

extension

114 -

chamfer

AR -

axial direction

GZ -

coupled condition

L -

length

LA -

longitudinal axis

ROF -

radial direction

RR -

radial direction

α -

tilt angle

β -

angle

Claims (15)

1. Optical sensor element for a coordinate measuring machine, having a coupling element (3) on the sensor element side for mechanical and optical connection to a coupling element (18) on the measuring machine side,
   characterized by
   an optical fiber (22) for measuring radiation transmission in the coupling element (3) on the sensor element side, that has an optical interface (30) for connection to an optical machine contact element (34) of the measuring machine, in particular for interferometric measurement methods, which optical interface is formed by an optical sensor contact element (33) having a self centering ferrule (23) surrounding the end of the optical fiber (22), the ferrule (23) being supported in a floating fashion in the coupling element (3) on the sensor element side.
2. Sensor element according to Claim 1,
   characterized in that
   the ferrule (23) has a chamfer (50) for self centering during a connecting operation with the coupling element (18) on the measuring machine side.
3. Sensor element according to Claim 1 or 2,
   characterized in that
   the sensor contact element (33) is formed with a ground bevel (43) in particular, the optical fiber (22) being a single mode fiber.
4. Sensor element according to Claim 3,
   characterized in that
   the sensor contact element (33) has a beam cross section (46) enlarged by comparison with the core of the optical fiber (22), in particular the beam cross section (46) being enlarged at least by a factor of 5, 10, 20 or 50 by comparison with the core of the optical fiber (22).
5. Sensor element according to any one of Claims 3 and 4,
   characterized in that
   the sensor contact element (33) is a lens, preferably a gradient index lens, in particular in the form of a fiber.
6. Sensor element according to any one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that
   the ferrule (23) terminates flush with the sensor contact element (33).
7. Sensor element according to any one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that
   the ferrule (23) has on a peripheral side (61) an orientation surface (62) for holding the ferrule (23) in a defined fashion in an assigned orientation.
8. Sensor element according to any one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that
   a spring (25) is applied, preferably in an axial direction (AR) of the optical fiber (22), to the ferrule (23) in order to produce a contact pressure at the optical interface (30).
9. Coupling element (18) on the measuring machine side for a coordinate measuring machine, for mechanical and optical connection to a sensor element according to any one of Claims 1 to 8,
   characterized in that
   the coupling element (18) on the measuring machine side has an optical machine contact element (34) for connection to an optical sensor contact element (33) of the sensor element for the purpose of measuring radiation transmission, in particular for interferometric measurement methods, the machine contact element (34) having an optical fiber (31) with a ferrule (48) and a guide sleeve (51) for self centering of the ferrules (23, 48) of the sensor contact element and machine contact element,
   the ferrule (48) and guide sleeve (51) being supported in a floating fashion in the coupling element (18).
10. Coupling element (18) according to Claim 9,
    characterized in that
    the ferrule (48) and/or the guide sleeve (51) have/has a chamfer (26, 54) for self centering during a connecting operation with the sensor element.
11. Coupling element (18) according to any one of Claims 9 and 10,
    characterized in that
    the optical fiber (31) is held at one end in the ferrule (48) and surrounded by the guide sleeve (51), the guide sleeve projecting in an axial direction (AR) beyond the ferrule (48) and preferably being provided at its free end (88) with a chamfer (54) on the inner surface (53).
12. Coupling element (18) according to any one of Claims 9 to 11,
    characterized in that
    the machine contact element (34) is formed with a ground bevel (44) and has a beam cross section (46) that is enlarged by comparison with the core of the optical fiber (31).
13. Coupling element (18) according to any one of Claims 9 to 12,
    characterized in that
    an inner surface (53) of the guide sleeve (51) has a roundness with a radial deviation that is smaller than the core diameter of the fiber used, in particular is at most 2 µm.
14. System comprising an optical sensor element for a coordinate measuring machine according to one of Claims 1 to 8, and
    a coupling element (18) on the measuring machine side for connection to the sensor element, having an optical machine contact element (34) for connection to the optical sensor contact element (33) of the sensor element, for the purpose of measuring radiation transmission, in particular for interferometric measurement methods,
    the machine contact element (34) having an optical fiber (31) with a ferrule (48) and a guide sleeve (51) for self centering of the ferrules (23, 48) of the sensor contact element and machine contact element, the ferrule (48) and guide sleeve (51) being supported in a floating fashion in the coupling element (18).
15. Coordinate measuring machine, having a system according to Claim 14.

Images